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A plan to make 16 Days of Activism count and really mean something

Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster
By Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster
27 Nov 2024
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The statistics are chilling. In just the first three months of 2023 more than 10,500 women were raped, nearly 1,000 were murdered and more than 15,000 assaulted. South Africa averages 40,000 reported rapes annually, with the rate of intimate partner femicide five times higher than the global average.

South Africa’s annual 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence often sparks campaigns, hashtags and heartfelt declarations of solidarity. Yet, for too many women the promises of change never translate into tangible improvements in their lives.

This year, we must choose to move beyond symbolic gestures and pursue bold, actionable interventions to promote the safety and economic empowerment of women.

Women in South Africa face intersecting layers of oppression – economic, social, cultural and political – that exacerbate their vulnerability.

The statistics are chilling. In just the first three months of 2023 more than 10,500 women were raped, nearly 1,000 were murdered and more than 15,000 assaulted. South Africa averages 40,000 reported rapes annually, with the rate of intimate partner femicide five times higher than the global average.

At the same time, teenage pregnancies and child marriages reflect the grim realities of gender inequality, with 90,037 girls aged 10 to 19 giving birth in a single year, and 188 girls under 18 married off in 2021.

The economic landscape is equally dire. Nearly half of South African women are economically inactive, and those in the workforce face wage disparities, earning 16% less than men for the same work. Single mothers head 41% of households, and fewer than one-third of JSE board members are women.

This bleak picture demands an urgent response that tackles these issues head-on. We have identified five key interventions aimed at driving meaningful change:

Empowering women in the economy


Build One South Africa (Bosa) will engage the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) to strengthen its capacity to promote gender equality in the economy. The CGE has a constitutional mandate to monitor policies and practices across the public and private sectors, yet it has not fully realised its potential.

We will present formal proposals to address the unique challenges faced by South Africa’s 5.5 million unemployed women and those who struggle in workplaces that lack opportunities for advancement. Economic empowerment is critical for dismantling the structures of gender inequality.

Making the Sexual Offenders Register public


Sexual violence thrives in a climate of secrecy and impunity. To combat this we have launched a petition demanding that the National Register for Sexual Offenders be made publicly accessible.

The current process of checking the register is expensive, slow and inefficient, discouraging transparency and accountability. A public register would empower communities to protect themselves and ensure that sexual offenders are named and shamed.

Provincial GBV task forces


Despite soaring rates of gender-based violence (GBV), survivors face a justice system riddled with inefficiencies and delays. Many withdraw cases due to court backlogs and lengthy DNA test processes, reflecting a deep mistrust in the system.

To address this, Bosa is urging all nine provincial premiers to establish task forces dedicated to combating GBV. These task forces would work to streamline case handling, reduce delays and restore survivors’ faith in the justice system.

Addressing the 8% rape prosecution rate


The prosecution rate for rape cases in South Africa is a shocking 8%, leaving countless survivors without justice. It is time the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) accounts for this failure and outlines clear strategies to improve outcomes. Justice for survivors cannot remain a distant ideal – it must become an achievable reality.

Exposing the rape kit crisis


The process of reporting rape in South Africa is often as traumatising as the crime itself. Survivors encounter intimidating environments, unresponsive officials and a lack of crucial forensic tools such as rape kits.

Bosa will visit police stations across the country to expose these systemic failures and advocate for a survivor-centred approach. The justice system must treat survivors with compassion and ensure that every barrier to reporting and prosecuting rape is removed.

This year, our agenda for 16 Days of Activism is rooted in actionable change. Our interventions seek to empower women, protect them from violence and demand accountability from the institutions that have long failed them.

For South African women the time for empty promises is over. It’s time for real change. DM

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